North Korea partially reopens doors to tourists after five years
North Korea is planning to partially reopen its borders to tourists later this year after closing in January 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, according to a Chinese tourism operator.
Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based travel company specialising in tours to North Korea, announced on Wednesday that the country will resume tourism in December 2024.
In a statement on its website, Koryo Tours wrote: "(We) are excited to announce that tourism to Samjiyon and potentially the rest of the country will resume in December 2024.
"We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and potentially the rest of the country will officially resume in December 2024.
"Having waited for over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again."
The country's borders have been closed for nearly five years. In January 2020, it became the first nation to close its doors due to Covid.
The company notes that since mid-2023, there have been indications of a gradual reopening.
Despite this, North Korea is not fully reopening, and there are significant restrictions for those wishing to visit.
Koryo Tours said that the reopening will initially focus on Samjiyon City, with access to Pyongyang and other restricted areas.
They noted that Samjiyon is a popular winter destination and is considered highly significant in North Korea. It is believed to be the birthplace of Kim Jong Il and a symbol of the Korean Peninsula’s heritage.
The company added that North Korea has been developing Samjiyon for years, which was previously hard to access and lacked tourist facilities.
North Korean authorities were allowing tourists from any country to join the trips, apart from South Korea, the company also said. However, the US has banned its citizens from travelling to the country.
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